A Dark, Distorted Mirror. Volume 5 : Among the Stars, like Giants. Part 5 : The Three–Edged Sword

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He wanted to talk to Delenn. He wanted to ask her. A part of him felt it was wrong to be thinking of such a personal situation at a time like this, but another part realised that he had to, because he was still alive, and because he was still alive he had to live his life. i

He remembered marrying Anna, not long after Earth.... He remembered the expressions of joy on the faces of his companions. l

He would ask Delenn tonight. He should have asked her a long time ago. l

He should have told her just how much she meant to him a long time ago. o

He should have done a great many things a long time ago. b

'Pardon me,' said an unfamiliar, flawlessly spoken voice. 'Is this seat taken?' e

Sheridan looked up. There was a human standing there, dressed in an antique costume consisting mostly of black. He wore a top hat and carried a silver–topped cane. Sheridan felt a cold wind pass straight through him. y

'No,' he said. u

'You are no doubt wondering whether you should recognise me,' said the newcomer. 'Rest assured I know precisely who you are, General Sheridan. I have been kept fully abreast of your career and activities.' He made no move to sit down. He seemed like the sort of man who would never relax, even in such an ordinary way. s

'Do I know you?' y

'Perhaps. It might be more accurate to say you almost certainly know of me. We have some mutual acquaintances, one in particular of whom I wish to speak.' o

'Sinoval.' u

The man smiled, a chilling expression that had not the slightest hint of warmth in it. 'Precisely the person I was alluding to. I understand you may have had some dealings with him recently. Tell me, General Sheridan, have you been happy these past months? You have had many questions, yes?' w

'Too many.' i

'As I thought.' He sat down. 'Perhaps I can help you with that difficulty, if you can assist me with mine.' l

'Do I know your name?' l

'Probably not. How remiss of me not to introduce myself. My name is Sebastian.' o

beyus

* * *

They do not understand, Cardinal.

Understanding is not necessary.

They speak of opposition. They speak of insurrection. Some speak of war.

They have not learned. Fear is the greatest motivator for their kind. Put them to fear.

Yes, Cardinal.

And those who will not fear.... they shall be destroyed.

Yes, Cardinal.

* * *

youwillobeyus

* * *

''Individuality' is the name you give to your sickness. It is a deviation from correct functioning. We have come to free you from chaos and uncertainty. And 'individuality'.'

Chapter 2

Are you afraid of us? There is nothing to fear. What do we represent, after all, but stability? Your greatest fear is of the unknown, and we will remove all that is unknown. You will be granted what your kind, with your short–sighted eyes and your transitory lifespans, have always desired.

Tomorrow will be as today.

* * *

I had heard of Babylon Five before I saw it for the first time, but my comprehension had been limited. My parents had spoken of it darkly, as a place where people lived who claimed to rule us. I tried to question them about it once, for I had thought we were ruled by the Kha'Ri, a Council of our greatest leaders and thinkers.

My father then told me his version of the Alliance. It was a council dominated by aliens. He did not distinguish between different kinds. They were aliens. I had heard of some other races and I had even seen a Drazi on the streets. And of course I knew of the Centauri, although I was not sure if they were real or not, since my mother used their name as a threat to persuade me to obey her.

The first alien I had met and spoken to was Lennier, and he was different from what I had expected. He was nice to me, and he apologised for almost running into me. At the time, I thought that was the most exciting moment of my life. Now that I have spoken with Emperors, Lords, Generals, the Well of Souls and of course the Prophet G'Kar himself, I still look back at that first meeting with a child's wide–eyed wonder. Every journey must begin somewhere.

But I digress. I fear you will have to put up with a great deal of digression in my words, dear reader. I am not sure if I am writing a holy book as G'Kar so often dreamed of doing, or simply the tale of a young Narn girl who, by chance or destiny, became something greater.

Anyway, my father told me that the Alliance was a group of aliens who had got together and decided to rule us all. Some of the Kha'Ri were cowards and traitors and were content to let them. Others were heroes who tried to fight these aliens. G'Kar, it seemed, was a good man, a holy man, who had been tricked by the aliens into helping them. That was the only possible explanation my father could give for why G'Kar sought peace with the Centauri when we could have destroyed them. These aliens lived at a place called Babylon Five, far, far away, and they had a mighty army they used to make sure everyone did as they said.

I was not sure where this Babylon Five could be, but as my father had said it was far, far away, I believed it was on the other side of the G'Khorazar Mountains. I gave these aliens appearances in my mind, appearances of horror and nightmare, monsters from legend. Babylon Five itself I imagined as a tall dark castle, made of black stone, from which fire burned and soared, filling the sky with smoke.

And then I saw it.

The point of this story, dear reader, is to relate my wonder at that first sighting of Babylon Five. As I said, I have seen so many wonders that they threaten to become commonplace. I hope they never will, for then I will know that it is time to die. But when I look back on that first visit to Babylon Five, in spite of all the horror that happened there, I remember the image of all those lights, shining so brightly in the night sky. At first I was afraid we had come to the wrong place, for this was hardly the castle of horrors I had envisaged.

This was instead a beacon of light and hope, truly a place of wonders....

But as G'Kar taught me, evil can live in the most beautiful of environments.

L'Neer of Narn, Learning at the Prophet's Feet.

* * *

At home the atrocity had seemed so far away, as they always did. Minbar was a world scarred by war and devastation, her people divided and fractured. Kats remembered her first steps on the torn and brutalised world she had called home, and the memory had horrified her. That was war and the price of war. yo

She remembered also what her race had done to another, and she remembered the vicious counterstrike that had poisoned her home. She knew better than to seek retribution. She knew that revenge was a path with no